Musicians Clay Willis and Bobby Plough will bring their blend of folk rock and country to Music in the Parks this Sunday.

The free concert will take place on the downtown Edenton waterfront from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Those attending are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket, and a picnic if they wish, according to Chowan Tourism director Nancy Nicholls.

“We are looking forward to having these two talented musicians share their musical gifts with us,” Nicholls said.

For Willis, who plays acoustic guitar, it will mark his first time on stage during one of the summertime waterfront concerts. “I’ve played at the Music and Water Festival a couple of times and other places, and I’m looking forward to playing for this audience on Sunday,” he said.

Among the songs Willis plans to perform is one special one, “Waiting for the Weekend,” that he wrote for his wife, Kim.

Willis said his musical influences have ranged from Jay Farrar of Uncle Tupelo (and later, Son Volt) to more mainstream singer/songwriters like Bob Dylan and Neil Young.

Willis, an Edenton native and a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, moved back to Edenton with his wife in 2002.

Performing his own unique blend of folk and country will be Plough, owner of the Cypress Grill in Elizabeth City.

Plough, who has performed at Music in the Parks for the past three years, remains a crowd favorite.

“I’ve been playing music pretty much since college,” Plough said, “but I didn’t really get serious about writing songs until about 10 years ago.”

His first CD, “Barn Full of Memories,” was released in 2008. Plough is now at work recording his second yet-to-be-named CD at Martin Parker’s Seven Pines Studio in Tyner. A fall release for the CD is planned.

Plough plays guitar and harmonica. He also admits to fooling around with the banjo “but I won’t play it in public.”

Musical influences have included Lyle Lovett and the late Townes Van Zandt as well as Steve Earle and Willie Nelson.

Plough, who grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas, and went to college in Austin, said he loves performing at Music in the Parks.

“There’s always a good little crowd and they pay attention,” Plough said. “That definitely makes a difference when you’re up there playing.”